Victimization and Vulnerability of Migrants in the Street: Case Study of Street Children in Agbogbloshie, Accra

Abstract

In the world of unequal opportunities are children deprived of normal home life with kith and kin who have to be in the street to struggle and engage in all activities for their survival and that of their relatives. The number of children, both foreigners and nationals, on the streets is becoming alarming. The stigma involved and their fears on the streets have not received the needed attention as well as reactions. The objectives of the study were to investigate and comprehend their experiences on the streets and mainly to find out the problems the street children are vulnerable to as well as the bad situations they found themselves in. A total number of thirty (30) very young children who stay on the streets of Agbogbloshie were selected to participate in the study. A qualitative research was employed involving an in-depth knowledge (lived experiences) of the phenomenon. The findings of the study indicated that street children have problems regarding their accommodation and are dissatisfied with their jobs, which then place them at risk of involving themselves in social vices. They are vulnerable to theft, sickness, rape, assault, harassment, stigmatization, exploitation, abuse and accidents (car and motorbike accidents). The study admits that victimization is a societal problem that requires cooperation of agencies, organizations and individual skills and benevolence, and failure to do at least something endangers the life of these vulnerable young people.